Improvement in automatic water-supply regulators for cisterns, tanks



ANDREw L. HARRIS, or MILFORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

Specification forming'part of Letters Patent No. 146,335, dated January13, 1874; applicationled` November 21, 1873. i

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, ANDREW L. HARRIS, of Milford, in the county ofHillsborough and State of New Hampshire, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Automatic Vater-Supply Regulators, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings making part of this specification, inwhich-- Figure 1 represents a vertical central Section, and Fig. 2 anend view.

This invention relates to certain new and 'useful improvements in theapparatus which is used to automatically regulate thesupply of water incisterns, tanks, or reservoirs, that are fed from sources which wouldoverow them, as from Springs above their level, or

from street-mains, where the pressure is too great to Supply water tothe heating device connected with a furnace, or a range, or to the tankof a water-closet7 or to a wateringtrough for animals, or where thepressure is too limited to supply steam-boilers, requiring the aid of aforcing-pump, or equivalent means, to draw water from a storing-tank andforce it into the boiler against the steam pressure.

In my said invention the cistern or storing- .i tank `A may be locatedin any convenient place where the other parts can be advantageouslyconnected and operated. To the side of the tank A a Smaller feed-tank,B, is secured by links or levers c and c', which are loosely pivoted toears or braces b and b fastened to each of the tanks. The lower lever cextendsforward beyond its pivoting Sucient to connect the operating-rodd, hereinafter described. A flexible tube, T, extends from the feed-tankB to the tank A, through which water passes from the former to thelatter tank. At a suitable distance below the tank A, I place avalve-box or chambered waterreceiver, C, constructed, as' shown, with avalvechamber, j', and a downward-projecting valveseat, c, and providedwith a valve, g, seating on the under side, and attached to a rod, d,extending upward through a stuffing-box, h, and to the lever c, to theeiid of which the rod is loosely pivoted. A supply-pipe, D, enters oneside of the chamber C, and a delivery-pipe,

i E, passes through the top head (L and through To ill the storing-tank,and to .keep it properly illed,water is let in through the pipe D, andas the weight K holds the empty or partly-filled tank B above its levelwith the tank A, as shown in Fig. 1,the lever c and rod d depress thevalve down from its seat,

and water passes through the chamber C to the valve-chamber and upwardand over through the pipe E into the tank B, and from this through theflexible pipe'T into the tank A until lled to near its top, when thetank B will also be nearly lled, and in that condition it will overcomethe gravity of the weight, which is of sabout the same weight, or alittle lighter, than the nearly-filled tank, and the latter will settledown to a level with the tank A. The downward movement of the tank Boperates the rod d through the lever c and closes the valve against theunder side of the valve-seat, stopping the ow of water through the pipesto thetank B.

When water is drawn from the tank A, itl is lowered in both tanks bypassing through the pipe T, and, as a consequence, the tank B becomeslighter, and the iiXed gravity of the weight overcomes that of the tank,which is raised proportionate to the quantity of water drawn from thetanks. The rising action of the tank B operates the rod d and opens thevalve, when the water again passes through the pipes to the tanks, asbefore described.`

I regard the link or lever connected feedtank a new and very usefulelement, and this, with the rod d and the under-seating valve and `otherparts, a new combination; so also the flexible pipe T, when used withthe linkconnected feed-tank and the storing-tank, as described. Theunder-seating valve is believed to be new, when used in combination withits connected parts, and with the feed-pipe E and the link or leverconnected tank B, as described.

' I also consider the feed-pipe E a new and useful element, whenapplied, as described, in combinationwith the link or lever connectedtank.

FFIcE I claim as my invention- 1. The link or lever connected feed-tankB, in combination With the Weighted rod (l and. the under-seating valveg and its chambers f and C, and with the pipes D, E, and T, and the tankA, all operating substantially in the inanner anclfor the purpose setforth.

2. The flexible pipe T, in combination With the link or lever connectedtank B and with -the JDank A, for the purpose and in the manner setforth.

3. The under-seating Valve and its Weighted rod d, and chambers f and C,in combination with the feed-pipe E and the link or lever connected tankRall-operating as and for the purpose specified.

4. The feed-pipe E, communicating with the valve-space f through thechamber C,in combination with, and leading to, the link or leverconnected tank B, all arranged and operating substantially in the mannerand for the purpose described.

ANDREW L. HARRIS. Witnesses:

JOHN E. CRANE, NATHAN BROWN.

